New and confused!

[8675309jenny]

Hello,

I don't know exactly how to word this so I will give you a background. For DAYS I have been all over the internet trying to find the ss# for the 94 year old man that is supposed to be my grandfather. He has passed away ( like a week ago ) and is not in the death index yet. I have found everything you can possibly think of ( including a picture of the ship my other grandfather came to America on!), but can not find a deceased mans ss#. I have birth, military, marriage, property owned info. I don't have driving and some other financial info ( but don't think that would make a difference in the ultimate reason I want this ). Long story short, the "siblings" that I may be related to are greedy jerks. I want nothing more from him than to know if he truly is my grandfather. For many years they have treated me horrible and refused any info including his where about. They even gave me a bogus name until a week ago when a friend that is helping me find out who my biological family might be contacted me with his actual name. Someone told me to find his ss# and I should be able to access more records regarding my real mother/father etc... They are another story in itself!!
If anyone could point me in the right direction other than the obvious sites that I've been all over and back I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm in my 40's and not as up on computers as you all are. I'm not an idiot with them, but not even close to your level. Please respond with instructions set up like you're talking to a 2 year old so I can follow. lol
I appreciate any help anyone can give. I would like to know more about my real family and their history.
Thank you so much!!!

[ph0bYx]

Jenny, first of your user name looks very suspicious, it's similar to the names they give to spam bots. But just in case you're not a bot, and for anyone else reading this wondering if 'we' could retrieve some social security number for them too: I'm sorry. We do not do any activities like that and, as far as I know, isn't that illegal?

Best of luck in your search!

[lilrofl]

Sorry Ph0, I think this one's fine

I'm pretty sure it's not illegal to find a social security number, because they are a matter of public record... and the name actually makes sense too, it was a song "867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone.

I'm not sure how you would find the SS# of a 94 year old however, as most of those record where not beginning to be digitized till the mid 2000's in many states. My suggestion, (thank you lucky stars you're not looking for your mom) is.

If you have the name and birth city, contact the local public records and get a copy of the birth certificate. Then take the birth certificate to the social security office and request a copy of the number. Because he is deceased you shouldn't have a problem getting it... although it might cost you a few dollars for each piece of paper.

[DNR]

try
http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Social Security Death Index (SSDI)
87,186,822 Records
last updated on 7-15-2010

If not, you'll have to use a pay service. Some databases are only offered to commercial companies - not the public. Some are public information, but some companies have made agreements with large city/county/state/certain federal agencies to maintain their data, in exchange for mining it.

Other public searchs are free, usually because they have older databases.

Am I wrong to presume you are female? (re edit - was not even looking at the username but was reading into the writing, obviously the screenname is a tipoff too! )

DNR

[ph0bYx]

Sorry Ph0, I think this one's fine

I'm pretty sure it's not illegal to find a social security number, because they are a matter of public record... and the name actually makes sense too, it was a song "867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone.

My bad, sorry.

[DNR]

@lilrofl
the SS# database was actually begun automated about 1962. Those that died prior to 1962 can be entered in the database if they were refiled after 1962. According to the SS faq.
Of course, how much automated, and how much of the old data can still be acessed by a computer search, not a old database miner job by rebooting some old tape. They did have data storage back then - via tape drives, IBM or otherwise - but did they transfer over all the tape data to a HDD searchable? Or do you submit a FOIA request, some kid goes to the backroom, looks for the old tape, loops it up, and hopes the data was not corrupted?

I just hope this was not just a cheap attempt to get the FOIA info for free, when she really has to pay for it here or some people search corp..
http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DNR

[lilrofl]

Also a death certificate will be held in the county he died, and in the county he was buried... or cremated. These can be picked up at the court house, cemetery and public records office(if the place is big enough to have one)

[8675309jenny]

Thank you all very much for replying. I don't know what a spam bot is and why a 1980's song looks like one lol. I picked that name because I like that song. It reminds me of a really happy time in my life, plus, it's easy for me to remember! I found the city and county he was born in. I even found the 15th U.S. census from 1920 and his name in there. I know all the states he has lived, the dates, the towns, the addresses. I am beginning to think that maybe I'm not meant to know about my real family though. It's one brick wall after another. I don't really care for my siblings ( if they are in fact my siblings ). They seem rather money hungry and rude. It's just bothered me for close to 43 years.
Thank you again for responding though. Everyone seems so smart and so nice on this website!

[8675309jenny]

It's not illegal to get a deceased persons social security number. They are listed in the SS Death index once you die. It dies with you. I would not even want to know someones ss number if they were alive. I was told you can get more info regarding people if you have it. However, I can't believe the amount of info I have found about him without anything other than my fingers and my laptop. It's really quite scary...interesting, but frightening.

Out of curiosity, what is a spam bot? Why would a Tommy Tutone song look like one? Is it an iTunes thing?

I envy all of you and all the knowledge you possess with technology. My son and daughter are the same ( and she is autistic!). I am just in awe of it.

[8675309jenny]

sorry, me again. What's a FOIA?

[lilrofl]

A spam bot is a program that makes accounts on forums and post nonsense... the names use are usually permutations and pseudo-random numbers... so 8675309jenny would look like one... I'm just old enough to remember the song

You are right that getting a persons social is not illegal, it doesn't die with them however. The social security office is not sure whether they will blacklist social security numbers on death of person or whether they will recycle them as numbers run out...

Currently using dead listed socials is an easy way to steal an identity, or create a new one, which is why I think there was the original confusion of legality.

Glad to hear you are coming up with the answers you're looking for, whether or not you want to know the answers is a different matter all together

Good luck in your endeavor, and feel free to come back anytime

EDIT:
FOIA = Freedom of Information Act

[ph0bYx]

Yeah, sorry again. In my admin career here I've came across many spam bots who's user names look very similar to yours so I was quick to judge. As for the social security number, I could've sworn that I heard / read somewhere that that number is secret and could be used for identity theft. Guess I was wrong, sorry. Carry on.

[DNR]

Pho - you are right - as long as you are alive, your SS# is your identity. A dead person's SS#, less valuable - as it gets tracked by the SS# Death Index.
Most stolen SS# are from living persons, as it is easy to identify dead people SS# due to this 'national database'. It is harder to identify a stolen SS#, as there is no public database (have to use a pay-people search site) to verify who owns a SS#. Usually an employer will have to send the employee's tax info and SS# snail mail to the IRS, and wait several weeks to months to hear back that the number is not registered to that person. By that time, the employee has collected some paychecks and will leave to do this at the next employer.

DNR

[Lundis]

It's not factorial, it's 10^9 = 1,000,000,000

[lilrofl]

In total yes, but there are numbers that are not used lowering how many actual numbers are available.
Invalid SS# include:
1: 0's filling all spaces of any section 000-xx-xxxx, xxx-00-xxxx and xxx-xx-0000
2: 987-65-4320 to 987-65-4329, these numbers have been set aside for advertisements.
3: 666 filling the first section 666-xx-xxxx is not automatically invalid, but can if issued such a card you can request a new number.
4: 700-728 in the area number (the first three numbers) was only issued to railroad workers and have been discontinued.
5: 770 and above in the area number have not been allocated yet.

Anyway, you end up with 998 million or so possibilities, not counting a 770-999 area number which is not invalid, just not used yet.